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Night Elf
The night elves, or kaldorei (sometimes spelled kal'dorei) are "Children of the Stars" in their native tongue of Darnassian. They have a long and fascinating history. Native to the western continent of Kalimdor, the night elves ended a long period of seclusion at the end of the Third War and became members of the Alliance. The kaldorei are a reclusive and mystical race born during the waking of the world. Though tribes and clans of trolls have been in existence almost or some speculate even as long as they have, the Darkspear trolls playable in the game have not been around nearly as long, thus making the night elves the second most ancient race playable in the game (the most ancient is the draenei race) and the first to appear on Azeroth. Theirs is a most ancient heritage, which has shaped them into a very self-sufficient and self-conscious people that often display strong streaks of isolationism. With the Well of Eternity once located at the very center of their civilization, the night elves were the first and the greatest wielders of magic, putting the craft to use with unmatched brilliance and inspiration. However, the arrogance of the highest caste of the ancient kaldorei, the Highborne, caused increasingly reckless use of the magic powers that the Well granted, which ultimately allowed the Burning Legion to first find its way into Azeroth. The Highborne fell under the thrall of Sargeras, and an apocalyptic confrontation between the remaining night elves and the invading Legion was set into motion that became known as the War of the Ancients. The outcome changed Azeroth for all time, causing a Sundering which tore the landmasses of the world apart and gave rise to the Maelstrom. Although the mighty kaldorei proved themselves able of putting a decisive halt to the Legion's onslaught thus ending the war and arguably saving the world, both their civilization and the world itself were shattered as a result, a difficult paradox and burden the remaining kaldorei live with. Left with nothing else than their lives, grief and sorrow, the night elves withdrew to their ancestral forests of Ashenvale and isolated their culture from the rest of Azeroth for nearly ten millenia, renouncing magic and becoming devoted wholly to the natural cycle of the world they had almost led to ruin. Ever since, the kaldorei's ways have revolved around an intimate connection to the natural forces, animistic powers and the worship of their mysterious moon goddess, Elune. The night elves now stand as a people who are both highly spiritual and pragmatic, an often sophisticated paradox, and are possessed with a deeply seated desire to find their solace. It is thus no surprise that they have become great healers and will aid creatures and friendly, kind beings partly due to their nature and perhaps partly because it helps them find their solace in reconciling for mistakes of the past. Virtually all remaining kaldorei consider it their sworn duty to maintain the safety and balance of the natural world. The night elves are generally honorable; a strict but just and truly compassionate people. Even so, they tend to be dismissive and distrustful of the younger races they now find within the world, and whom they consider to either be living in stubborn ignorance (for war-mongering and destroying nature excessively for example), or as too short-lived to ever attain the responsibility and wisdom which the kaldorei have now gained through their burdened past. In turn, many of these younger cultures perceive the night elves' attitude as one of mere arrogance or of superiority, and the kaldorei tend to be looked upon with awe, wonder, and even mistrust or frustration, if not for their shadowy and secretive nature, longevity, and ancientness met with youthful appearance (they look forever young), then for their aloof and judging demeanor. Category:Race